


crown of gold. crown of blood

by exhoeluxion



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, F/F, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fanfiction, Fantasy, M/M, Magic, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-08 02:36:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16420760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exhoeluxion/pseuds/exhoeluxion
Summary: jongin is a fae prince, and one of the greatest warriors the kingdom has ever seen, but never gets to put his skills to use.  his home is luxregni, a kingdom filled with all kinds of beings, and morally upstanding folk. the borders of luxregni are manned with walls of warded magic. on the other side lay unknown lands and dark magic that is always looking for a way in. second in line to the throne to an older brother who loves him, but a father who barely acknowledges his existence;  it's a quiet and boring life for the prince.baekhyun is a being of immense dark magic from outside the walls of luxregni. sent on a scavenge by his lands queen; he infiltrates the kingdom of the fae king. ensuing much trouble when a certain act of his turns the kingdom a little upside down. but there's more behind his visit than just making the kingdom shake in their boots. and the truth will surely knock prince jongin right off his feet.





	1. (i)

crowns were heavier than they looked.

even atop the head of a fae warrior prince. whatever was put into making them, while admirably withstanding, was also insufferably heavy. probably not the thoughts that should be running through one's head while their brother was being honored on his birthday. and yet here they were, swimming around in jongin's head as he sat on his designated throne watching the spectacle. he so badly wanted to scratch his head but his mother would indeed have his head for even thinking about following through with the action. immensely bored was where his attitude stood right now. parties were all well and good, but the second prince preferred a different kind of gathering than the one before him. his eyes scanned the people present. varying races that scattered his parents kingdom, filled the great hall. scattered amongst those who ranked higher than them. it was quite a sight to behold. jongin had no interest in any of them. pompous, arrogant, and full of misplaced pride. then again, he was sure many here thought the same of him and his brother. royalty came with a life full of rumours and sparked hatred from some people. of course there was love and admiration from the other half too. you could not satisfy either parties demands and expectations. his brother, an optimistic fool, would never stop trying. it was part of why the party was even happening. he'd invited many, some to his parents surprise that had no rank or stature in relation to the castle walls themselves. jongin deemed it inconvenient. why invite those that would be nothing more than a blurred face by tomorrow. but his brother had that whole fascination with 'treating our people right'. his jaw jarred at the very thought of it. pointless. 

their people in question, were in their thousands. in the hundreds at least. jongin was second in line to the throne of luxregni there was next to no chance he would ever hold the title of king, unless something happened his brother but he didn't dwell on such thoughts. he was content. for now. the fae had held the crown for over seven thousand years. keeping the kingdom from falling into ruin. keeping the people safe and cared for. how it should be. luxregni itself was awash with people of all kinds. fae, mortals, dwarves, halflings, nymphs, elves, fairies, even some pixies. it was a breeding ground for the good. his father ruled a kingdom that didn't tolerate those on the darker side. outside the borders of luxregni roamed many more races and species that would chill you right to your core. but he upheld the protected lands that his ancestors had ensured over those thousands of years. what remained were wholesome, of sorts, lands that were not tainted. jongin was aware of the wars that had occurred prior to this peace. growing up his professor had made sure to teach both him and his brother in the history that had provisioned the fae with making this peaceful kingdom. countless innocents had been killed in battles that shook the nation. darkness had almost devoured the world and let it's unspeakable damage wreak havoc on it's people. 

it was all rather impressive on a larger scale. how the fae and various others had clawed back a sense of normality and calm for the kingdom. it made him wonder what the lands were like beyond the borders of luxregni that they were dangerous and uncharted was a given. but he highly doubted there could be no possible reason to never venture into them again. after all. what was the point of living if you weren't willing to face a little uncertain death every now and again. this was where the fun for jongin began. just because the borders were protected, didn't mean they couldn't be breached. despite not receiving his father’s blessing on joining the ranks of security, jongin had found other ways. making friends with the right people had him accompanying guards on scouts and other excursions. he had seen some of the more tame dangers that had managed to breach the borders. if the outside lands held anything worse than those he'd encountered then maybe there was something resembling living death roaming the world. it didn't scare him. not like it should. jongin held more curiosity than he did fear in relation to the borders. and it was this attitude that had pushed him to become the best he could. 

so he had trained. he had spent hours and even full days training with the castle's most skilled warriors, until he could match them. and then until he could beat them. jongin may be nothing more than the second prince. the second son of a king. destined for a cushy life, yet confined to the substandard title for his whole life. but he had more skill than his brother would ever have. his brother would never really fight or train more than enough to pass for a good fighter. he didn't need to. being next in line to the throne secured his constant protection. the guards in his father’s security branch would lay down their lives for the main heir before they saw him come to harm. jongin himself didn't have that luxury. so he had taken the matter into his own hands. there was no one in the whole of luxregni who could match him. he knew his way around a sword but he’d found his own rhythm when it came to his own smaller knives. his moves were too quick and sharp for anyone to best him. and there was something in that dance that made him feel alive and on fire, more than the sword or the bow could ever try to compare to . jongin was a warrior unlike the others. and it was one thing he was at least a little smug about. you could tell. 

a low hiss of discontent left through his teeth. not loud enough for anyone else to here but him. his time could be used in more productive settings than sitting here. it was tiresome. movement to his left drew his attention and dark eyes landed on his father's captain of security. a tall, strong built fae warrior, likened enough to how jongin himself was built. many times he had approached his father about rising through the ranks of the security branch. he was more qualified than half the actual guard. and his general skill surpassed more than that. but his father had declined. brushing off his interest with the reasoning that a prince did not lower himself to the protection. he was the one to be protected. the captain seemed to be avoiding eye contact with anyone as he approached the thrones hastily. he held nothing, jongin noted to himself, so it was not a reminder of anything, or seemingly anything to do with the event at hand. not to mention he was certainly giving off a shifty vibe. it was nothing if not drawing jongin’s curiosity. what on earth could he have to be worried about on today of all days. shifting on his throne a little, jongin let his eyes follow the golden haired captain who was attempting to approach the king without looking too alarmed or intrusive. he could almost feel the anger that would bubble beneath his father’s aged skin if he thought there was a pointless query behind the captain’s intrusion.

jongin strained his ears to try and catch any of the conversation. he didn’t need to do it much. the fae genes gave him perfect hearing and then some. keen eyes watched his father’s face as it turned from a bothersome scowl to concentration while listening, to, was that surprise? jongin’s want to find out more was definitely piqued now as he watched the king nod at the captain’s next words before he leant in to his wife to speak. whispered words were exchanged and his mother’s hand pulled the king back after he’d made to leave. her face spoke volumes. something was definitely wrong. 

the captain was on the move again and jongin swivelled in his seat to watch him go. his mind already churning on how he was going to find out what was going on. he didn’t hold out hope that his father would include him in whatever it was. running his tongue along the bottom row of his teeth jongin weighed the idea of following the captain. surely with the commotion of the party crowd he might not be missed before ten minutes. that was really all the time he’d need to scout out some kind of information. his thoughts were disrupted however when the bell that called for silence rang out through the great hall. moving his body back to the front he found his father standing to address the room. 

“my loyal subjects, i apologise for the intrusion to your merriment. it is not in my wishes to disturb you for long. i merely mean to thank you for your attendance tonight in honour of my son’s day of birth.” 

jongin held back the snort that threatened to leave his throat. most were probably not here for the prince, but for the food and the chance to brag about being in the caste. being in the presence of the royal family. there was nothing about their own presence that had to do with celebrating the prince. 

“i must however, take my leave of this night. please, enjoy your night and safe home when it dawns on you to make your way hence. and to my son, the day you were born remains the most important and proud moment of my existence. to another year of your wisdom and growth as the next king”

letting out a yawn, jongin rolled his eyes. what a family to be envious of. he was, as usual, invisible to everyone in it and their kingdom. they saw him as nothing more than a spare part. not that he particularly cared about it. it allowed him the limited freedom he had that kept him sane. without it, life as a second son really would be unbearable. he contemplated the fact that his father was leaving the celebrations, that he could slip away unnoticed after the king did so. his mind was still hung up on what exactly the captain had come to report. there had been nothing to make his mother pull a face like that in, well, he couldn’t really ever remember a time when she’d looked like that. 

“jongin?!” 

broken from his thoughts by the sound of his name being called, his focus came back to the now. before him stood his father, looking pissed about having to call him more than once. the second prince raised his chin in acknowledgement. he could already guess. ‘look after your mother. don’t drink too much you’ll look ridiculous..blah blah blah. he was usually reserved for the cleanup of these events. to be the face of the family when the others had spent their energy or drank themselves into sleep. 

“there is a matter which requires immediate attention. please deposit your crown with madame pinnock and follow me. make haste” the king spat in his direction. barely looking at him. 

he didn’t care. was he really about to be included in whatever this was? maybe luck was on his side. or maybe it really was something to be concerned about. standing, he was glad to finally stretch his legs, jongin bid goodnight to his mother. placing a kiss on the queen’s forehead as he did so. the dark haired fae woman who had raised him smiled lovingly at her youngest son, giving his arm a gentle squeeze before letting him go. descending the steps that led away from the throne’s podium, jongin sought out the woman his father had mentioned. madame pinnock was his, well had been, his nanny. a mortal woman from the southern lands of luxregni who had been with him since birth. lifting the heavy crown of silver from his head, jongin laid it to rest on the cushion that madame pinnock held out for him. 

“any lighter today?” came her sweet voice. she had aged since he’d been younger. but not as most mortals did. his father had bestowed upon her a lengthening spell. meaning she would age but it would be at a similar pace to those of fae genes. if jongin could say he loved anyone aside from his mother, it would be this woman. wise and kind beyond her years, she’d helped him become the man he was today. 

“same as usual” he smiled lightly. “you think i can give it up soon?”

“wouldn’t that be a dream come true for you sweetheart.”

running a hand through his slicked back hair, jongin left the great hall, his long strides taking him into the corridor adjacent to it where he found his father waiting with the captain of the guard. his eyes moved between them as he tried to gage the mood in the room. it didn’t look good. closing the space between them jongin awaited further instruction from the king. despite his lighter mood about being included, he didn’t want to keep up his hopes in case this was as far as it went for him. 

“we talk as we walk” spoke the king to no one in particular. “to the cell block.”

the cell block? it really was something interesting then. although maybe the destination shouldn’t be a surprise considering his mother’s face and the captain’s demeanour. it wasn’t like any other place in the castle could hold such a reaction cause. the three men began to move, staying in pace with each other, the king at center position. they passed portraits and paintings of various things, all in gold gilded frames. marble floors lined their path, taking them to the main staircase. a masterpiece of stone and architecture that led to the ground floor from whence they would make their way to the cell block, two floors beneath the ground. 

“explain to me again what exactly happened? the noise in there only allowed me to catch but a few words.”

the captain nodded at the king’s request a pause in his facial expressions as he tried to piece together his story well enough to make sense. finally he broke the silence that was filled with nothing more than their footsteps. jongin was waiting anxiously on the man to speak. growing impatient as the pause seemed to drag out. 

“our scouts in the north western sector had sent reports of a possible breach to the border. about fifty odd years back. in and around the matrop to ionem line. we didn’t know what had got in, or if there even was any breach. there was just talk of something being off about the surrounding area that was different from normal. so we sent recruits to check it out. make sure all was well, to report back and confirm it was nothing. it’s been centuries and nothing more alarming than a mist wraith has gotten through. easily dealt with as you know. and they have been sending word regularly since, claiming they found no breach, just the usual.”

jongin’s attention was fully on the captain’s words. a breach in the borders? it sounded a lot more serious than the ‘holes’ and ‘cracks’ the various guards had introduced him to over the years. but it had to be something if this was the situation happening in the castle. he pushed the questions he had away as he listened.

“reports stopped coming from the ionem outpost about three months ago. we didn’t think it much at first. someone had forgotten, something had distracted them, a particularly persistent wraith. they’d follow up when it was dealt with. but nothing came. so i sent a few men up there to settle my mind and make sure they weren’t for wont of anything.” the captain paused again in his recounting. his eyes far away as he thought about what he was explaining. “they reported back as expected. but it was not good news. three quarters of the recruits i had stationed there were dead. slaughtered more like. by who or what there was no trace. and the remaining few of the outpost were missing. no bodies, no clues, nothing. just gone. it was not the most alarming part despite the fatalities. my men relaid much more concerning news. the people between matrop and ionem who seemed to hail from within ten kilometres of the borders line, there was something wrong with them. all they encountered had some infliction upon them. most were telling of fire on the inside. that they were somehow burning, and when they cried, they were crying not tears, but blood. others had not eyes of colour anymore, but demonic black encased them instead. they spoke no words, only watched, like they were waiting on something. it instilled a fear in some of my men that i have never come across. more of the people they met had varying degrees of abnormalities. my men have never seen the like, even with all the encounters we’ve had. some even retreated from their posts.”

the king’s face was a sheet of white. he looked like he would possibly pass out at any moment. it was a strange moment for jongin. to see his father look like this. dare he say, scared. the words of the captain were alarming and did send a slight chill down the second prince’s back. something was amiss in luxregni there was no denying. but what in the gods could it be.

“w-what happened?” came the king’s words in response. “you say this began three months ago. how has this gone on and i have not been notified of anything until now. now when you come to me on my son’s birthday and speak of a- …...an outsider in our midst. you have brought this thing to the castle. where my wife is. where my son….s...are. the very heart of luxregni. what have you held back?” 

jongin’s eyes were switching from the king to the captain after the king’s outburst. what had they brought back? one of the affected people? something from outside his father had mentioned. some kind of stronger wraith? there was numerous possibilities, most of which he couldn’t even put a name to. they were nearing the steps down to the cells now and the king stopped in his advance when they reached the precipice of the first one. awaiting an answer from the captain. 

“we didn’t technically bring it here.” came his words slowly. 

a frown found it’s way onto the king’s brow as he let them sink in. jongin could hear him trying not to blow what little cool he had left as he acknowledged them. “what do you mean, technically?” 

“i called back my men about a fortnight ago. i had them gather anything from the outpost that could be useful, could help figure out whatever had happened. it was with the intention that once they arrived back, i would compile what i knew and come to you with it. which i was intending to do tomorrow, after the celebration of his highness, the prince’s birthday. my men arrived back earlier this evening. they brought back four carts of supplies and things from ionem. when they halted to unload everything, i joined them to inspect what i had only heard of from them. the scrolls and such. we were unloading the first cart when...it...just hopped right out of one of the other carts. gave us quite a shock. it didn’t speak. didn’t make any move to hurt us. it didn’t do anything except watch us. so we bound it and escorted it to one of the warded cells just in case. i figured there was no waiting until tomorrow now. you had to know.” 

the captain finished speaking and gestured towards the stairs that led to the cells below. jongin swallowed what might have been remnants of hesitance, before following his father who wasted no time in beginning to descend the staircase. he was eager to lay his gaze upon whatever this creature was. something from outside the borders had to look interesting. and he wasn’t about to turn down the chance to participate in whatever this was. it might not come along again. surely it would be nothing more than a learning curve for him. whatever this creature was, would have nothing to do with him apart from being observed. 

his foot met the sandy floor of the warded cell blocks and jongin rolled his neck a little at the draft that toyed with it. he understood the idea of cells being an unpleasant place to find yourself ending up in but they were underground and there was still a breeze able to penetrate the place making it even more dismal than it already seemed. his eyes wandered over the bars of the cell before him. metal from the strongest furnaces, forged with wards that made it impossible for those imprisoned behind them to escape. a necessary instalment back in the war ages. but now? apparently there was cause for them once again. even if it was unknown what was being held. the king spoke no words as he followed the captain along the corridor to their right. leading the men further into the cell block, they came upon three of the guard who were positioned two cells away from the prisoner. on watch it would seem. the captain halted before them and turned to the king. jongin’s father closed his eyes momentarily as he stood there. 

“please remain here captain. i will call upon you when i have had a moment to take in what it is that has found it’s way here.” 

with that he strode forward, into the dimly lit corridor beyond towards the cell that held the captive. 

“jongin!” came his demand seconds later and the second prince moved after him. he’d paused with the captain, unsure of whether he was permitted to go any further. ahead of him, the king was standing before the cell in question. already seeing what it was they had to deal with. as his steps brought him up beside his father, jongin let his gaze move to the cell bars and beyond, to what was inside. what he had not expected was for it not to be a what, but a who. 

in the shadows of the cell, bound with chains he knew were also warded, stood a young man. or at least he outwardly appeared like a man, if he even was one. they were at least almost a head shorter than he was. a slim build, hidden mostly in loose clothing. what looked like burgundy silk, and black trousers. black boots too. their hair was a little wild. dark and almost medium length with something of a fringe over one side. he would have guessed their hair was a dark brown, but as brief moments of light brushed over it, there was almost a tint of red running through it. jongin’s dark eyes took in the sight of them, unsure of what to make of what he could see. beside him the king was silent. either deep in thought or just out of words.

inside the cell, the person, creature, thing began to move. taking gentle steps forward as they approached the cell’s bars. moving further into the light. jongin was at a loss for words himself as he watched them. their face was soft looking. with a strong jawline that appeared every now and again. eyes as dark as his own, lined with even more black were moving over the king, observing him as jongin was them. their skin was almost glowing. it looked almost golden in the torch light. silver glinted on one of their ears. jewellry?   
it was interesting. there was something about them that jongin couldn’t shake from his head as he stared at them. what were they? who were they? the thoughts were interrupted as their gaze finally shifted from the king and found jongin’s eyes. 

it felt like something had slammed against his chest as he stared into the dark eyes of the strange being in the cell. he couldn’t move his own gaze. it was like he was captivated. it wasn’t out of range for being a possibility. he swallowed as they stared each other down. there was a smirk toying on the unknown being’s lips as he tilted his head and made it disappear once again. jongin watched as lithe fingers came up to their mouth, tracing their bottom lip before the smirk was back. 

“what kind of dark magic are you daemon? and what do you want?” 

the kings words broke the silence and tension that was floating throughout the area. it broke whatever was holding jongin unable to look away from the prisoner. blinking a few times, he looked to his father whose face was a mix of fury and fear. something he’d never expected to encounter. bringing his eyes back to the prisoner he could practically feel his heart thumping in his chest as he awaited what was going to unfold between them. would it talk? would it do anything? the answer came moments later. 

jongin watched as those lithe fingers twitched at the stranger’s sides. seconds later the light had been extinguished from the torches. but some remained. it resembled moonlight and seemed to be radiating from the thing inside the cell. the smirk was back on it’s face, and the fingers were twitching again. 

“GUARDS?!” came his father’s call but there was no responding call or even sounds. there was a blanket of silence coming from the black direction that had been the rest of the corridor. jongin had a feeling it was the doing of whatever this moonlight was coming from. the king was pulling his sword from its sheath. even with the cell bars between them and the stranger. 

the dark eyed being let out a low, humming laugh that echoed in the small space of it’s cell. repeating it as a sound like a whip cracking pierced their ears and the warded chains that had been holding them fell to the floor, shattered into dust. jongin’s heart was really racing now. what had entered the castle. there was a flicker in the moonlight that surrounded it and when it came back to focus jongin’s eyes widened. the thing that had been inside the cell was now outside. and standing before the king. fear coursed through his body as he stared at the stranger. this could only go one way. they were about to die. right here. there was no other option. his father would not let this situation end without trying to stick his sword into the stranger and jongin figured that was not going to be an option for them. he back himself up, until his back hit against the solid stone of the corridor wall. there was nowhere to go. he couldn’t see anything and it would be pointless. if this thing could turn warded chains to dust they could very well turn jongin to dust too. 

the strange being stared at the king, it’s smirk turning into a snarling grimace. a voice left it that worked it’s way through jongin’s whole body. 

 

“exterreri veneficae”” 

the words looked like they came out in a hiss but they reached jongin’s ears in a tone like velvet. how could something so intimidating and terrifying sound so...alluring. he didn’t understand much of the words they’d spoken. it sounded like a language he might have heard of but he couldn’t place.

“and i want….” 

no sound left jongin but his blood ran cold at the thing’s next movements. nothing could describe what went through his head as he watched those lithe fingers reach out and thrust right through his father’s chest. he watched in shocked silence as the thing pulled his father’s heart right from his chest. he couldn’t move, couldn’t make a sound as he watched it blow on his father’s heart. he couldn’t even react as he watched the heart, what looked like, begin to freeze before it pushed it back into the king’s chest. he watched in stunned fear as his father gasped, but didn’t collapse. he didn’t seem to be injured apart from the psychological injuries he was sure to suffer from. fae were strong but this...this was something else. 

jongin’s whole being was standing on edge with fear and expectation as the thing turned those dark eyes in his direction and spoke the last word of it’s answer. he was in way over his head with this and even his training couldn’t have predicted what was to come. 

“...him”


	2. (ii)

sparks of blue and purple fused with white, fading and reappearing as they echoed in the dark eyes, staring out an open window. outside the storm that rattled the very room they were in, raged on. thunder clapped and the sky was jet black once more. still. until the next break of lightning would interrupt it again. the rain was so thick you could barely see anything. but they could see right through it. every minute detail of the landscape that stretched beyond. the eyes were unmoving. not locked on anything in particular, as if they were lost in the thoughts within their own head. the storm had landed out of nowhere. weather like this wasn’t unusual around here, but this one in particular had hit hard, with no warning, and stronger than anything they’d ever seen before. the creatures and people that filled the lands would be having a hard time keeping out of it. some would even suffer after, whenever it decided to ease off. not that it deigned to be anytime soon. something nagged at them, like the storm was a warning. of what, they couldn’t fathom. but it didn’t seem likely, that whatever this turn of events foretold, that they would enjoy it. 

they finally seemed to pull from their thoughts, another bolt of lightning stretching across the black sky. a sigh leaving their lips as they turned from the window. the room before them was exquisite. a long hall opened up behind them, black silk the only decorating factor, hanging from the pillars that flanked the length of it on either side in verde tinos marble. soft white lights glowed between each pillar, illuminating the room that would otherwise be shrouded in darkness like the view outside. sure, silent footsteps carried them down the room, a lone figure moving, shadow-like. at the end of the elegant room, steps, in the same marble as the pillars, led up to the top of a dais. four thrones of the blackest marble anyone had ever seen crested them. the figure headed straight for them. pausing at the end of the steps and bowing their head. 

this castle had been abandoned long ago. too many years to count, and yet it still remained in almost pristine condition. much of it was due to fear. those that inhabited these lands didn’t dare step foot inside. a few had tried. youngsters and drunks thinking their escapades would lead to adventurous tales, or a good loot. but something had gone wrong any time they had entered. rumours spread like wildfire. talk of beasts that hid in the shadows of the castle. of ghosts and higher demons that lurked in the building and fed on those that dared step inside. others spoke of how the castle belonged to the witch kings of old, who had thrived before the war. and that their spirits lingered in their former homes, now holding the castle captive and keeping unwanted guests out. it was the biggest structure this side of the border, and remained the most feared and mysterious building all these years later. 

the truth behind it was somewhat less intimidating. if you were foolish enough to think so. there were no beasts or spirits or ghosts hiding in shadows. no haunted castle rooms. the figure that now stood before the dais, head still bowed, was the keeper that had lingered. they had made sure the castle was not touched by those who sought nothing but a payout from the items it held, or a thrill of exploring the old building. and it had worked. no one had made it past the foyer. they had spooked the lesser steel-hearted ones, and those that held no fear, they had disposed of, using any means necessary. the idea that they would desecrate the walls of this place, a personal offence. so they had protected it as best they could. a smirk was usually found resting on their face when they overheard the whispers and secrets that spread through the lands about what they could be. 

“i have a secret in both hands, left or right? pick one and i might tell you what resides inside”

the shadowed figure raised his head at last. the words that filled the hall, cleaving the silence in two, it was smug and lilted with a devilish humour. he knew that voice. eyes raising upwards, a curse left under his breath. sat atop the centre throne, legs spilling over one arm, their back resting against the other, sat another male figure. a handsome demon in burgundy silk and black lined eyes. a familiar and infuriating smirk dancing on their lips as they regarded him from where their petite frame rested. they held no respect for the seat they were occupying. an indifference to what the very structures meant and stood for. the thought brushed him the wrong way and the shadowed figures lips curled into a snarl like expression. 

“you disappear for weeks and appear spouting riddles? why should i entertain you after such a display of impetuous actions”  
silence greeted him for a brief few seconds before nothing more than a curt hum came from their lips. he didn’t deign to think he had made them regret their actions. in fact he figured he’d probably just brought more trouble down upon himself. and that thought had him resisting the urge to roll his eyes. he didn’t feel like fighting right now. the smaller male atop the throne sighed dramatically, followed by a shrug.

“consequences be damned, you’ll forgive me. you always do” they smirked, dark eyes sliding to his. one eyebrow quirking up playfully. “and definitely once you pick a hand so i can tell you one of the secrets.”

the urge was too strong this time, his eyes rolling as he folded his arms over his chest. games, they loved them too much. playing along was the easiest option if he wanted their meeting to go quickly. at least that’s what he hoped for. there was only so much of the petite demon he could stomach at one time. 

“you know this is pointless, you’ll spill both of them to me eventually anyway, why can’t you just come out with it…” he grumbled before sighing and letting his shoulders shrug once. “..left”

the male atop the throne turned their smirk into a gleeful grin as they got their way. swinging their legs off the arm of the seat and standing up, light steps carrying them towards him. pink lips pursed together in a pout as they contemplated whatever it was they were going to enlighten him about. he silently wished it wasn’t some new endless tale of another excursion of trouble. it was a theme with them. 

“an excellent choice. well, my sweet,” they spoke, descending the steps while doing so. they circled him as they held out on giving any more information just yet. waiting to see if he’d give them any more by way of playing along. but he just stared at the throne they’d been on. he tired of this easily and he wasn’t about to aid in elongating it. thankfully, they seemed to be too eager to continue, that they didn’t notice. “how can i put this in the most juiciest sounding way…” 

silence again for a few seconds. the storm outside the only thing filling it. 

“luxregni sends its regards”  
it felt like the words caused the very storm outside to rage harder as they were announced. his dark eyes widened and he whipped around to face the other male, an incredulous look on his face. they hadn’t dared? had they? then again he should have foreseen something like this happening. they loved nothing more than causing and watching trouble unfold. it was bound to have only been a matter of time before they opened the top on the biggest wreckage possible. doubt still crept at his edges though. this was nothing to joke about. if they had indeed stirred up some kind of trouble with luxregni, the kingdom on the other side of the border? he dared not think about the consequences. they had come this far without so much as a hiccup. to risk it….it would incur the wrath of someone he’d rather not have awoken any time soon. 

“you didn’t..” he breathed out. his voice barely there. 

a flash of that devilish mischief seemed to gleam in their eyes as they smirked in response and he groaned outwardly. 

“it was so eaaaaaasy” they drawled, their voice a sing song against the harsh sounds of the storm. “they’re weak and vulnerable and it’s so much fun to mess with them when they have no idea what they’re dealing with. i was rolled right into that castle and none of them had any clue until i ste-”

their words were cut off because he was making a noise something between a choked cry and surprise. the castle? they’d gone to the damn king’s residence, and rolled right in? he didn’t know what having a heart attack felt like but he could have sworn the emotions running through him right then were similar to it. 

“WHAT did you do?” he choked out. “why did you go to the...the castle?! gods above….” he couldn’t even finish a properly structured sentence. 

before him the other male just pouted. like he’d sucked out all their fun. 

“you didn’t even let me get to the best part…” they were smirking again and he knew he was really going to regret ever having let them speak in the first place. “i brought back a little something.”

his eyes were boring into the other male as he awaited them telling him exactly what it was they had stolen from luxregni. maybe if it wasn’t that big they could fix it before word got out and all kinds of shit happened. the eyes of the other were practically glowing as he poised to let it spill.

“the littlest prince”

he felt the very breath that kept him standing, fly out of him. the littlest prince? he’d taken a crown prince of luxregni captive? and brought him back over the borders into these lands. 

they were done for. 

there would be no keeping him slumbering now. they had unleashed a whole kingdom and more, worth of trouble upon every one. 

“where is he?” he asked. maybe there was no hiding it now. but they could work on damage control. try staunch the carnage that would be unleashed upon everything.. 

“no no no, that i’m not giving that up. he’s my play thing not yours. and anyways, i know how valuable holding him is. you think i’m about to hand over that kind of information to you, with all your “redeeming” qualities. you’d just try to hand him back kyungsoo.”

they were right. it was the first course of action that had come to mind. that maybe if they gave him back, the king would likely take it easier in his attempt to seek revenge. because even with the prince back, he would. he was that kind of man. thirsty for a vengeance he thought he was owed. 

“this isn’t a joke baek,” he half growled back at the smaller male. they were unleashing something upon everyone that was nothing to trifle with. he had a headache already thinking about what was to come. his words seemed to anger the other male, who’s dark lined eyes narrowed as they began to walk backwards up the steps once again. a tinge of regret ran through him. he should have chosen his words more carefully. he knew better than to rile them up, yet here he was just after doing exactly that. curse them and their short temper.   
“you think i’m joking?” they scoffed, back turning towards him as they continued up. “you think i’d risk my life entering that forsaken land all for the fun of it.”

there was a pause in their words as if they realized that, yes, they would. with a small shake of their head they continued.

“i may have gambled on this one, but, my sweet kyungsoo, i gambled well. this may seem a folly action but make no mistake when i say this is the best thing to happen to luxregni, since before the war. let the king try come and claim him. he’ll meet a fate that’s only just deserved. me. and i will see to it that he is taken care of accordingly. i’ve already iced his heart, he’d be foolish to come looking for more.”

there was such conviction in their voice that kyungsoo himself, almost balked at it. it was easy to forget that the petite demon, was in fact one of the most deadliest beings to grace the earth. easy to forget the torture that they could manifest. their words pulled at him. iced his heart? they’d dared to mess with the very man himself. it bordered on impressive, if it hadn’t been reckless. the little demon was smirking fiercely at him as they took a seat upon the throne once again. 

“luxregni may be under their control, for now. but make no mistake. i will tear it from beneath them. and burn their legacy to ash.”  
a faint red glow began to settle around the demon.

“the little prince is mine.”

and with that he disappeared into thin air. leaving kyungsoo with the storm outside, and a headache that was raging almost as hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *i do not own or claim anything in relation to exo, jongin or baekhyun. this is a fantasy fanfiction based off of my own imagination, love for fantasy and writing and my love for the group. 
> 
> *i do hope someone enjoys this as much as i do writing it. please leave any feedback, comments, queries, etc and i will be sure to check them out.


	3. Chapter 3

if there was such a place as hell, jongin wondered had he been landed within it. 

although, hell looked reasonably well if it was indeed his location. dark eyelashes parted to reveal dark eyes, squinting as they adjusted to what little light was available. there was a ringing in his ears and an ache rang through his body. he would have put the side effects down to a night of heavy drinking with his father’s men, if it wasn’t for the stark flashbacks that settled into his mind. that damn demonic being that had practically walked right into the castle. he was seething at the mere idea of it. no ceiling stared back at him. only a wide expanse of the sky covered his field of vision. broken only by numerous glittering stars here and there, a silver and black ocean. it was almost serene. he could have stared at it forever, letting the peace fill through every fibre of his existence. he’d always found comfort in the night sky. he was laid upon a high bed, laden with silk sheets and cushions and see through nets hung around the four posters. sitting up he found he wasn’t really in a bedroom at all. more like the remnants of one. the bed itself was sitting in the center of a towers ruins. surrounded by a deep green forest.

all around outside the circle of broken stones, stood tall trees of evergreen, stretching high into the air. their dark shadows falling on the forest floor and across the bed. jongin’s eyes knitted into a frown as his head swiveled, taking in the surroundings. what mischief was this place? long legs swung off the side of the dark silk sheets as he stood, scanning the treeline for any sight of the demon who’d stolen him away. he still had no knowledge of why exactly the demon had indeed taken him. although it wasn’t hard to guess. maybe they thought he was his brother. it would make sense, kidnapping the heir to the throne would lead to quite a ransom if need be. but with how well the whole escapade had been pulled off, doubt itched at jongin’s mind. surely someone, or thing, capable of such endeavours would have the intelligence to know when they had captured the wrong prince. it didn’t seem feasible that they would go to all that trouble only to mess up this bad.

wincing as he stood, his body still aching considerably, jongin turned his eyes back on the bed. it was a grand piece of furniture. a large headboard framed it, decorated with detailed engravings of birds. all dark wood that matched the dark silk sheets and pillows that lay on it. why something so grand was stranded here in the middle of nowhere, was something he couldn’t understand. then again with everything going on, he wasn’t sure he ever would. there was a chill in the air, breathing in deeply, a thought struck him. he was no longer within the borders of luxregni. 

something was different. something felt different about it. he didn’t know how he knew but the feeling was rooted so deep within him he knew it to be true. his mind told him he should fear the very idea of it. but he didn’t. there was no fear in him about what was happening. just a longing curiosity. if he truly was beyond the borders of his home, this was his chance to see what all the fuss about these lands was. yes, it was dangerous. after all he knew of many of the species that lived out here, but danger came with exploration. you didn’t discover the unknown if you were too scared to even face it.

the snap of a twig had his dark eyes whipping around. the silence that had surrounded him moments before heightening the small sound. they narrowed as he tried to hone in on where exactly it had come from. nothing seemed amiss amongst the trees. the silent leaves were swaying a little in the nonexistent breeze, but apart from that there was no movement anywhere. the forest seemed abandoned. he didn’t allow himself to relax. just because it appeared so, didn’t mean he was free from danger. it would be foolish to become lax especially here. his fingers itching at his sides, missing his bow at a moment like this, jongin figured maybe he should venture into the woods. after all staying put was always a death sentence. he may not be afraid of what lay beyond the kingdom’s borders. but he wasn’t about to become a target for the many things that lived here. sitting here ensured that would be the only outcome.

“i wouldn’t venture in there”

head snapping back to the bed, jongin’s eyes stared in disbelief. now sat upon it, was the same being who’d brought him here. so nonchalant, stretched out upon the silk sheets. regarding his fingernails as if fearful there might be dirt there. the young prince didn’t know what to make of it. his chest deflated a little as he shook his head.

“why not? there’s nothing here, why should i stay put?” he threw back, wondering if the being would even reply to him.

his eyes watched them, they didn’t even move at first. they just lay there, still toying with their own fingers. and then, they did. swinging petite legs off the side of the bed as they sat up. jongin felt self conscious as the being’s gaze was directed to him. he still had no idea what they were. what threat they posed. of course, sitting here like they were, they didn’t look like much of one. but earlier events had proven otherwise.

“because i said so.”

jongin stared at them as the words left them. there was no hint of any emotion in those words. just a statement. but something told him testing their resolve would only end badly on his end. swallowing his pride he didn’t respond to it. the smaller being seemed to be content with this reaction as they neared him. something resembling a smirk resting on their lips. circling jongin like he was being eyed up to be eaten, the being let their lips settle into a pout and hummed. 

“you’re not what i expected.” 

jongin raised a brow at the words being directed towards him. not understanding where they were coming from. or what they meant. not what they expected? why would they expect anything of him to begin with. 

“you give off the vibes of royalty. all the makings of a king’s son, and yet, there’s something…” 

they stopped speaking and jongin’s curiosity was only heightened. why was this being thinking of him at all. ‘and yet..’ what did that even mean? of course he was a king’s son. he didn’t give any hint of a response. why entertain it more than necessary.

“what do you want with me ? or from me ?” he blurted. “you must know i’m not the next in line for the throne. i can’t see how i can be of any use to you. except maybe to draw a.. small ransom. my father doesn’t care for me as much as you might think.”

the other being sucked in on their bottom lip as they pondered jongin’s words. staying silent as they walked back towards the bed and placed himself down upon it. their eyes never left jongin the whole time. 

“you’ve always been drawn to the border haven’t you.”

their statement had absolutely nothing to do with the question he’d asked. yet jongin was somehow intrigued by it all the same. how could he possibly know about the inner workings of his head. then again maybe this thing had seen him the times he’d been out with his fathers men. it wouldn’t be too wild an idea considering everything that had happened. it still made no sense as to why he’d been kidnapped like he had. 

“have you not once considered why that might be ? or even just about how you could be over here. learning about what lies beyond. there’s a lot you could learn on this side of that magical shield. about the world. about those that live here and their history and what drives them. about yourself even…”

jongin had a multitude of questions. they were swimming around in his head and none seemed to be settling on his lips. his gaze meeting theirs momentarily. he found it hard to hold it too long. it felt like he was being hypnotized if he did. one was sticking out more prominently than the others. it surfaced a couple of times. 

“what’s your name ?” 

silence greeted him. it wasn’t wholly unexpected. he didn’t think someone who had kidnapped him would be so ready to give up their identity. then again nothing about this particular event could possibly not surprise him in some form. 

“baekhyun.” 

“baekhyun? “ 

“yes. don’t wear it out…. or do. you can call me anything you want really, handsome.” came the quick response. accompanied with a smirk. 

unwillingly he found a blush rising on his cheeks. raising a sleeve to his face he attempted to hide it. flushed cheeks at a compliment from his captor? it was definitely something they were doing to make him act this way. it was only strengthened when baekhyun got off the bed once again. or rather disappeared from where he had been sitting. only to appear right beside him. the being was shorter than him. enough that he had to look down at him. 

“blushing at such a simple gesture of flirtation. my my, you are sweet.” 

jongin’s breath hitched as lips pressed against his neck. dark eyes wide as he tried to concentrate on anything but the feeling it was sending through him. what were they doing ? was this some new found way of torture. he was sure baekhyun could feel the way his heart was racing. he didn’t want to give them the idea that this was anything it wasn’t. 

“w-what are you…” stumbled from his lips. 

a hand joined the lips. pushing his head back. a strong grip around his throat. it was so many things at once. it was violating and devious. making him gasp silently as the lips caressed his neck while the grip tightened. it was soft at the same time. baekhyun’s lips and hand were warm and had a gentle touch even beneath the transgression. 

and then it was gone. baekhyun was back on the bed. smirking at him while he tried to catch his breath. steadying himself from the daze he’d been under through their actions. 

“i’ll give you twenty-four hours to mull your existential questions over. you’ll be fed and looked after but you can’t leave this room. when i return. you’ll have an answer. from there your future will be decided. agree to experience this place and i’ll teach you things you couldn’t possibly imagine back home. show you a whole new side to the world….”

jongin had finally calmed somewhat. but the blush was only strengthened. 

“... however. if you decline the offer. things won’t be so full of sunshine. so think well my sweet.”

with that he was gone again. and jongin felt like he could breathe again. 

for twenty-four hours.

**Author's Note:**

> * i do not own or claim anything in relation to exo, jongin or baekhyun. this is a fantasy fanfiction based off of my own imagination, love for fantasy and writing and my love for the group. 
> 
> *i do hope someone enjoys this as much as i do writing it. any feedback, comments, queries, etc are extremely welcomed. i will be sure to check them out.


End file.
